Abstract

Apathy is associated with many neurological conditions including traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, Parkinson’s disease and dementia and is primarily a dysfunction of the frontal-subcortical circuit. Despite being common, it is often under recognised, not viewed as problematic, or misdiagnosed as depression. Various definitions of apathy are offered in the literature along with various assessment tools and prevalence amongst various neurological conditions. This paper discusses the diagnosis criteria along with the importance of an accurate and timely assessment in aiding healthcare practitioners in caring for patients with apathy, and can be a useful starting point for rehabilitative efforts. Apathy can be profoundly disabling for both the patient and their caregivers, and is associated with a number of adverse outcomes such as a negative impact on daily life and quality of life, potential for poorer rehabilitation outcomes and increased burden on caregivers. Areas for further research and development are also presented